Disk wheel



W. BARBER DISK WHEEL ling-:11; 1931.

- Filed Sept. 28, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I BY ATTORNEYS INVENTOR Aug. 11, 1931.

W.-BARBER DISK WHEEL I Filed Sept. 28, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mv NTOR 25 receiving rim,

Patented Aug. 11, 1931 WILLIAM BARBER, F BROOKLYN,

NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

STEEL WHEEL CORPORATION, OF LANSING, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN DISK WHEEL Application filed September 28, 1921. Serial No. 503,729. g

This invention relates to disk wheels. The object of the invention is to provide a sheet metal disk wheel which is simple in structure, economical to manufacture, and efficient in use.

A further object is to provide a disk -wheel wherein the supporting strains are taken by a single sheet steel disk which is so formed that the medial plane of the felly portion of the wheel intersects the body portion of the disk in circles of relatively diflerent lengths of radius, and. intersects the hub at approximately its medial line.

A further object is to provide a sheet metal disk wheel which is readily applicable to the hub of any ordinary wheel at present in use Whether it be the hub of a wire spoked, a

wooden, or of a disk wheel.

A further object is to provide a wheel of the nature referred to which is composed of a single sheet metal disk having a tire holding rim or felly portion formed integrally therewith, and either forming part of a tire or else adapted to receive a tire rim.

A further object is to provide a sheet metal disk wheel which can be applied to or removed from an ordinary hub without disturbing the axle assembly, and which permits the axle to be assembled or dismounted without disturbing the wheel assembly.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location, and relative arrangementof parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed 40 out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings,-

Fig. 1 is a broken view in section ona plane containing the axis of the wheel showing a portion of a disk Wheel structure embodying the principles of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a broken view in front elevation of the hub portion of the disk forming the wheel shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a broken detail view in front elevation of a portion of a tire rim locking ring employed in connection with the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified form of disk wheel and hub assembly embodying my invention.

F ig. 5 is a detail view in front elevation showing a form of nut ring for demountably pl'lagnping the disk wheel of Fig. 4 upon a Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing another modified form of disk embraced within the scope of my invention.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing amodified form of disk wheel and a mounting therefor on a different style of hub.

Fig. 8 is a broken View in front elevation of the hub portion of the disk shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the other half of the wheel and hub assembly and the clamp bolt arrangement for detachably securing the disk upon the hub.

Fig. 10 is a broken view in front elevation of the hub portion of the disk shown in Fig. 13.

Fig. 11 is a detached detail view in side elevation of the clamp bolt shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is an end view of the same.

Figs. 13 and 14 are views similar to Fig. 1 showing the disk applied in various ways to the hubs of wire spoke wheels.

Among the requirements for a satisfactory and desirable structure of sheet steel-disk wheels is that such a wheel be constructed cheaply; that it be of light weight without sacrificing strength or ruggedness and that it be capable of quick and easy application to and detachment from the hub structures at present in use, whether of wood, metal, wire or of disk wheels. purposes of my present invention to provide a sheet steel disk wheel which satisfies these and other requirements, and in carrying out my invention I propose to employ a single disk which is pressed out into proper shape and is capable of application to any ordinary hub in such relation that a plane intersecting the rim or felly portion of the wheel annularly, at its medial line, will also intersect the body of the disk at one or more lines intermediate the rim and the hub, and will intersect the hub It is among the special' at or closely approximate to the seating of the disk upon the hub and approximately at the medial line thereof, whereby the load strains are efiiciently transmitted to the huh. I also propose to employ a shaped-up sheet steel disk which when applied to a hub is not only demountably clamped thereon but is reinforced and braced up by engaging projections formed therein seating against the surface of or in corresponding depressions formed in the hub flange.

1n the accompanying drawings, I have shown various forms and styles of sheet steel disk wheels, and various styles of hubs therefor, and various means to demountably secure the disks in assembled relation upon the hubs, which embody the principles of my invention and attain the advantages, objects and purposes thereof.

In Fig. 1 I have shown a sheet steel disk wheel constructed according to my invention, as applied to the hub of a standard Dodge car rear wheel. In this instance the hub 15 is formed with the annular radial flange 16. The disk 17 has a central opening to permit it to slip over the hub, and at its central portion adjacent the bore or opening therethrough, is formed radially straight, as at 18, for a radial distance corresponding to that of the hub flange 16, against which said radially straight portion bears. The body of the disk 17 intermediate its straight portion 18' and its peripheral portion is pressed or curved inwardly, and then outwardly as shown at 19, finally terminating in the radially flat or straight edge portion 20, the outer edge of which is turned lat erally and horizontally inwardly as at 21, said inwardly turned portion being formed at its .inner extremity into an annular shoulder 22 to receive one edge of a demountable tire rim 23. The other edge of the tire rim is engaged by a member 24 in the form of a ring stamping having its outer edge portion 25 bent into shape to form an annular shoulder which engages the outer edge of the tire rim 23 to clamp the same against the shoulder 22 of the disk rim. In the particular form shown, to which, however, myinvention is not to be limited or restricted, the tire rim retaining and clamping ring member 2 1 is'substantially C-shape in cross section, and the lower edge 26 thereoffits against the flat radial portion 20 of the disk, while the upper edge 27 fits over and rests upon the inwardly extending felly portion 21 of the disk. The tire retaining member 24 may be detachably clamped up and secured to the disk in any suitable manner, as by means of bolts and nuts (not shown) through the registering openings 28 in said member and disk. In order to enable the member 24 to be quickly and easily applied or removed I prefer to construct it in the form of a split ring. as indicated at 29, Fig. 3.

I ing the The body of the clamp ring 24 is offset from the radially flat portion 20 of the disk by the edge flange 26 of said ring, thereby securing an efficient yielding or spring action when said ring is clamped up. The bolt hole opening 28 in said ring is preferably formed oblong so that the shoulder 25 of the ring may readily and easily accommodate itself to various types and structures of detachable tire rims 23. If desired a reinforcing and spacing disk 30 of comparatively short radius may also be slipped over the hub 15, and stamped out into shape to bear against, and, if desired, to be welded or otherwise secured to the disk 17. A spacer ring 31 is interposed between the disk 17 and the plate 30 The assembly is completed by clamping together these various parts, the hub flange 16, the radially straight portion 18 of the disk, the spacer 31, and the plate 30, as well as the driving flange member 32, and, in the case of a rear wheel, the brake drum 33. These various parts are formed with registering bolt holes, indicated at 34, to receive securing bolts, not shown. To remove the wheel, all that is required is to first remove the nuts from the outer ends of the securing bolts and then slip the wheel ofl with the hub, together with the brake drum in the case of a rear wheel.

In practice I propose to form the hub opening in the disk with a diameter adapted ,to fit the smallest size of hub. By thus formhub opening in the disk it is an easy matter to ream out this opening to a larger size to enable it to fit any desired size of hub, and hence the disks may be stamped out and formed up into shape in quantities and carried in stock.

It will be observed that the disk is assembled in such relation .on the hub and is pressed out into such form that a plane intersecting annularly the felly portion 21 at approximately its medial line, will also cut the disk in circles of relatively different diameters, and will cut the hub at a point closely proximate to the point of support of the disk upon the hub. This enables the weight strains imposed on the wheel when in use tobe properly distributed and transmitted to the hub at its strongest part.

In Fig. 4. I have shown a hub 35 having a reduced exteriorly threaded portion 36 forming an annular shoulder: or flange 37, against the outer face of which lies the central portion of the disk 38, which is demountably clamped thereto by means of a clamp ring nut 39. A bolt 40 serves to retain the disk against annular movement relative to the hub. The bolt which clamps the brake drum 90 to the wheel hub may serve this purpose. The driving flange member 32 and brake drum 33 are secured to the hub 35 by means of bolts 41. The body portion of the disk is inwardly and then outwardly curved, as shown at 1:2, and terminates in a radial portion -13, and an integral felly portion 44 having the upturned edge flange 45 to form a tire retaining shoulder. The other edge of the tire is secured in the rim 44 by means of a demountable ring member 46 which is formed with an annular projection 47 to fit in a corresponding channel groove formed in the rim 44. It will be observed that in this form of my invention the same relation of medial plane of the felly or tire is maintained as in the case of the structure shown in Fig. 1. In order to re move the axle, in this assembly, the bolt 41 is removed, or the lock nut thereon is removed and the hub flange 32 with the axle is withdrawn without disturbance of other parts. If the disk wheel is to be demounted the clamp ring 39 is removed and the disk is slipped off without disturbing other parts. In case it is desired to remove the tire it is first deflated, thereby permitting the tire retaining ring 46 to be sprung out of its retaining channel 48, and then the tire may be quite readily and easilyslipped off.

In Fig. 6 another embodiment of disk is shown wherein a reinforcing plate 49 is applied flatwise directly against the radially straight central portion 50 of the disk 51. In this instance I prefer to press a rounded annular channel 52 in the body of the disk at a point closely adjacent the straight hub portion 50. This gives strength and rigidity to the disk. At its peripheral edge the disk is flanged laterally as at 53 to form a seating for a tire rim 54. The body ,of the disk is pressed out to form the curved portion 55intermediate the hub and the annular peripheral flange 53, and the arrangement and disposition of the parts is maintained so that the medial plane through the rim portion will intersect the axis of the wheel at approximately the hub portion of the disk.

In Figs. 7 and 91 have shown the application of a disk wheel to the ordinary hub of a Ford car, in accordance with my invention. In this case the hub portion 56 of the disk is clamped between the annular flange 57 of the hub sleeve 58, and a clamp ring 59, the brake drum 60, in the case of a rear or driving wheel, being mounted on the hub and flange in the usual manner. It will be seen in this instance also, that the body of the disk is pressed out into the curved portion 61 terminating in a reversely presenting lateral flange or felly 62 (Fig. 7) on which the tire rim 63 is mounted. The flange 57, hub portion 56, and clamp ring 59 are detachably clamped together by means of bolts shown in Figs. 9, 11 and 12, and which I have found to be sufficient for the purpose, and which consist of a threaded stud portion 64 having an annular collar 65 thereon which is received within an opening in the hub portion of the disk. The threaded stud is also provided adjacent the collar 65 with a squared or rectangularly surfaced portion 66, designed to fit into a a disk wheel to the hub of a wire spokedwheel, in accordance with the principles of my invention, the wire spokes, of course, having been removed. In this case the hub portion 68 of the wheel disk 69 is pressed into the required shape and contour to correspond and to be applied to the annular body 70 and flange 71 of the hub sleeve, except that the sleeve portion 92 of the disk should be slightly smaller in diameter than the hub 70. The hub sleeve flange 71 and the hub portion 68 of the wheel disk are formed with registering openings through which are received the clamp studs 72. These studs have shoulders 73 which fit against the inner surface of the hub sleeve 71, while the outer ends of said studs are threaded to receive the clamp nuts 74. The clamp nuts at their inner ends are formed with an enlarged chamber portion 75, into which projects an annular flange 76 surrounding the bolt opening through the hub portion of the wheel disk. By making the sleeve portion 92 slightly smaller than the hub 70 a Very tight clamping action is secured when the nuts 74 areturned up.

In Fig. 14 an arrangement is shown wherein the sheet steel wheel disk 7 7 is applied to a slightly different form of wire spoked wheel hub sleeve. In this case the hub portion 80 of the disk is applied to the hub flange 81. The body of the disk 7 7, in this instance, is plane, and inclined outwardly, as shown, terminating in an inturned flange 79, upon which is received the tire rim 82.

If desired, and in order to insure against relative rotative movement of the disk and hub, to which the disk is applied, in accordance with my invention, I prefer to press into the hub portion of the disk three or more bosses or projections, as indicated at 85, see Figs. 2, 7, 8, 10 and 14, which may lie and be clamped against the adjacent surface of the hub flange, or, if desired, corresponding seats or depressions, indicated at 86, Figs. 7 and 14, may be formed in the hub flange in which the projections are received and seated. If desired, and in order to secure a spring action of the projections 85, they may be slit as indicated at 87 in Fig. 2.

Having now set forth the objects and nature of my invention and various forms of embodiment thereof, what I claim as new and useful, and of my own invention, is,

1. The combination with a hub having a flange and clamping bolts of a sheet metal disk wheel including a single sheet metal disk having a central hub opening and a plurality opening and a plurality of bolt holes therethrough and a plurality of projections indeendent of the bolt holes pressed therein, said bolt holes and projections being located in proximity to the vcentral hub opening, said projections having slits formed therein to secure spring action of the projections.

3. In a wheel the combination of a hub having a radial flange provided with a plurality of sockets and a shoulder at the base of said flange, a disk having a central opening through which said shoulder extends and provided with a plurality of convex bosses adapted to engage in said sockets, and means mounted on and encircling said hub and engaging said' disk to clamp it against the hub flange with said bosses engaging in said sockets to prevent rotation of the disk relative to the hub.

4. In a wheel the combination of a hub I having a radial flange provided with a plurality of countersunk sockets therein, a wheel disk mounted on said hub and having bosses pressed therein and adapted to engage said countersunk sockets, and a unitary means encircling said hub engaging said disk to clamp the same against said hub flange with said bosses engaging insaid socket to prevent rotation of the disk relative to the hub.

5. In a wheel, the combination of a hub having a radial flange, a wheel disk mount-,

ed on said hub, said disk and flange having interengaging portions preventing relative rotation of said disk and flange, and clamping means engaging said disk between the rim and said interengaging portions and clam ing said disk against said flange and exten ing over and concealing said interengaging portion of said disk.

6. In a wheel, the combination of a hub having a radial flange, a wheel disk mounted on said hub, said disk and flange having interengaglng portions preventing relative rotation of said disk and flange, and clamping means engaging said disk between the rim and said interengaging portions and clampmg sa 1d disk against said flange, said interengaging portions being concealed between said flange and said clamping means.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this sixth day of September,

A. Dm1921. my

WILLIAM BARBER. 

